Operation Wetback: A Forgotten Chapter in U.S. Immigration History

I know what you’re thinking, that this can’t be real but in 1954, the U.S. federal government launched Operation Wetback, a large-scale immigration enforcement campaign aimed at deporting Mexican nationals who were in the country illegally. The operation was driven by rising anti-immigrant sentiment, pressure from white labor interests, and a desire to assert stricter control over the southern border.

Spearheaded by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) with the backing of the Eisenhower administration, the program led to the mass deportation of over 1 million people—though official numbers vary and are often disputed. Many individuals were rounded up in aggressive raids, often without due process or time to gather personal belongings or notify family. Some U.S. citizens of Mexican descent were also swept up and deported unlawfully, due to racial profiling and lack of documentation.

Deportees were frequently transported in inhumane conditions, with reports of overcrowded buses, ships, and trains. One tragic example was the “Hotbox Incident,” where over 80 people died of heatstroke in a repurposed military plane.

Critics of Operation Wetback point to its racial targeting, civil rights violations, and lasting impact on Mexican-American communities. Despite its name—now widely recognized as a slur—the operation is rarely discussed in mainstream conversations about U.S. immigration history.

Understanding Operation Wetback is essential to grappling with the complex legacy of immigration policy, border control, and civil liberties in the United States. #Bruh